The Lioness and the Son of Adam
by BubblyKristiStyles
Summary: Maria Kirke has kept a secret for 8 years since she has been living with her Uncle Digory about a world in the upstairs wardrobe where she met Aslan the King of Narnia and soon became his daughter. After the White Witch cursed Narnia into an eternal winter it is up to Maria and the Pevensie siblings to put things back in order. PeterXOC Please R&R!
1. Chapter 1

_**Disclamer: I DO NOT OWN THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA! EVERYTHING BELONGS TO C.S. LEWIS EXCEPT FOR MY BRILLIANT O.C! **_

"Maria!" Mrs. Macready called for me as I sat in the library, reading about Joan of Arc since I was always interested in her adventures, "The professor wishes to have a word with you!"

"Coming!" I called back as I put the book back in its place on the shelf.

I exited the library and started walking towards my uncle's office. I lightly tapped on the door 3 times and the door opened, revealing my Uncle Digory.

"Come in, Maria! There is something that I must discuss with you." My uncle motioned for me to come inside.

I walked in and sat on the chair in front of his desk. My uncle stuffed his pipe with tobacco and lit it up before putting into his mouth. His bushy, curly white hair and beard were brushed back and his blue eyes stared at me. Uncle Digory took a couple of puffs for his pipe before addressing me.

"Now, you must know that we are going to have some visitors with us for a few months."

"Visitors?"

"Yes. Children like yourself. Two boys and two girls."

"Really?"

"Yes! They will be here next week. I'll have the girls stay in the room next to yours but don't worry, the boys will be down the hall."

"How old are they?"

"Well, they have a boy that is a year older than you, a girl who is the same age as you, the other boy is 13 and the youngest girl is 9."

"Is that all?"

"Maria, I thought that you would be happier about this."

"Oh, I am… It's just-"

"Just what, my dear?"

"What if they don't like me?"

"Maria, they will love you." My uncle brushed a black curl from my face, "Now, go on. I'm sure that you would want to prepare for these visitors."

"Thank you, Uncle Digory." I gave my uncle a hug and I felt him hug me back before I let go.

I left his office and hurried to my room. I locked the door behind me and went quickly to my closet. Bent down to the floor and pulled out a box and opened it. Inside, there was a pair of brown tights, a white, long-sleeved button down shirt, a golden brown riding vest and a pair of golden brown riding boots that came up to the middle of my calves. I quickly changed into the outfit and grabbed a snow white cloak that I kept hidden between my clothes. I was just about to leave when I stopped at the mirror and looked at my reflection. My thick, raven black, curly hair was pulled into a ponytail with a couple of curls on the side of my face, my forest green eyes, and my light tan skin with a beautiful golden undertone. Looking at myself, I thought about my mother and father. I was half-Spanish from my mother's side. My father used to tell me how I looked like my mother. My father was an Englishman and he met my mother away on business. My father died of an illness when I was 7. Sadly, my mother died of heart failure 3 months after, but I knew she died of a broken heart because of my father's dearth. I was sent to live with my Uncle Digory, my father's older brother after my mother's death.

I tore myself away from the mirror and walked out of my room. I headed down the hall, up the stairs and went to the second door on my left. It was just a massive and empty room. There was nothing but a large wardrobe covered by a big, white sheet. I pulled off the cover and opened the door. Inside, there was a bunch of fur coats but at the very back, was a bunch of pine needles. I smiled to myself as I stepped into the wardrobe and picked up a bow and arrows that I left hidden in here. I looked back out the wardrobe into the empty room. I knew that no one would be looking for me since my uncle was a busy man and his housekeeper, Mrs. Macready, won't care where I was just as long as I didn't get into trouble. I closed the door softly and stepped through the pine needles, into the white snow.

I discovered the magical world of Narnia 7 years ago when I was 8. I walked more into the white wonderland saddened now that Narnia was in this cold weather for a really long time, all thanks to the White Witch, she even banned Christmas! One of my favorite holidays. Just as I was walking more into the woods, I heard large footsteps crushing the snow behind me. I felt a puff of warm breath on my back. I turned slowly to face a large, golden brown lion. I smiled at the lion.

"Hello father" I smiled at the massive lion.

The lion chuckled, "Hello daughter."

I hugged the lion and he put his massive paw on my back, returning the hug.

"Climb on my back, so we could go somewhere in private to talk."

My father looked up at the trees and I knew he didn't want the trees to know that I was here. I climbed onto my father's back, pulling my hood over my face, shrouding it in darkness. I held onto my father's mane as he bolted into the forest. It didn't take long for us to end up in a nearby cave. I collected some firewood that was in the surrounding area. I picked up two smooth rocks and scratched them together, making a spark and igniting the wood.

"Thank you, Maria. I was getting a little chilly." My father said.

"The Great Aslan can't take a little snow." I giggled.

"Sadly, I cannot, normally I would be hibernating." My father chuckled.

"Father..."

"Yes, my child?"

"I think that the prophecy might be fulfilled soon."

"What do you mean?"

"Back where I am, my uncle told me there were will be two sons of Adam and two daughters of Eve coming to stay with us until the war is over in London."

"Do you think that they are from the prophecy?"

"They have to be! It's probably a sign! Not everyday, do you find 4 humans that happen to be two of each gender just like the prophecy said!"

"I believe you."

"Tell me what I should do."

"When will they be arriving?"

"Next week in my world."

"Help them find Narnia but don't let them know that you know about it. I'll see you soon, be sure that you are ready for war, my daughter."

"I will be, father."

"It is about time that you get back to your world."

"Not yet, I want to see the beavers first."

"Very well but go straight home afterwards. I don't want the witch to know that you are here."

"Face it, father. I think that the witch already knows but she hasn't made her move yet because she knows that I'm not a threat to her. Well, not yet anyways."

"Very well. I shall see you soon, my daughter." My father said, walking closer to me, "I have a gift for you."

"What is it?"

"Close you eyes." My father ordered.

I did as he said, then I felt a warm breath on my eye lids. A second lather, I started to see a blurry image.

"Tell me what you see." My father told me.

The image I saw was coming clearer. I saw my father and me in the cave but I wasn't looking through my eyes but in a 3rd person perspective. I told my father what I saw then in the vision I saw my father smiling.

"Open your eyes." My father said

I opened my eye, blinking a bit so I could get used to the sight in front of me.

"Every time you close your eyes and concentrate hard enough, you will see where I am and how I'm doing, but it only works when you're in Narnia." My father said, "But sometimes when you're asleep, you might experiences these visions."

"Thank you, father." I gave my father a big tight hug.

He chuckled lightly, "I'll see you soon, my child."

My father sprinted out of the cave and into the white woods, vanishing from my sight. I put out the fire the grabbed my bow and arrows, strapping the quiver behind my back. I kept a tight grip on my bow with my left hand as I exited the cave. I pulled my hood over my face once more and walking into the woods.

_**(A/N: And CUT! Well I just wanted to give you all a little prologue so you could kind of understand my character and her connection with Narnia. Anyway this is my first Chronicles of Narnia fanfic so I hope that you guys like it and I'll have the next chapter posted soon but only if I get a good amount of reviews or favorites/follows. Thanks again for reading my story!)**_


	2. Chapter 2

_**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN CHRONICLES OF NARNIA! ALL RIGHTS GO TO C.S. LEWIS! EXCEPT FOR MY OC!**_

A week has passed by already. I visited Narnia 3 days ago to see if my father was okay and to tell the Beavers to be ready for the arrival of the Sons of Adam and the Daughters of Eve. I also told them not to tell the humans of my existence with Narnia until I present myself. To pass time, I decided to go to the stables to see my horse, Jupiter, a chestnut brown Arabian horse that my uncle had bought me for my 10th birthday. I changed into my white riding trousers, a white button up top, and a dark blue blazer with my black riding boots. I grabbed my black riding helmet from my bed post before I left my room. As I walked into the main lobby of the mansion, I saw Mrs. Macready putting on her coat as she was getting ready to leave the mansion.

"Where are you going?" Mrs. Macready asked once she saw me.

"To the stables." I answered.

"Very well, then you shall help me get the horse for my carriage."

"Yes, ma'am."

I followed Mrs. Macready to the stables. She left to set up the cart and I went to a white horse that was next to Jupiter.

"Hello, Jupiter. Hello Winter." I greeted the horses.

I pulled out two carrot sticks out of my pocket and held one out to each horse.

"Alright, Winter, Mrs. Macready needs you to pick up our visitors" I said to the white horse as I unlocked her gate. Jupiter grunted and flared his nostrils at me.

"Don't give me that face." I told Jupiter and handed him another carrot stick, "Let me take Winter to Mrs. Macready and we'll have a quick ride. Okay?"

Jupiter rubbed his nose on my arm in agreement. I took Winter to Mrs. Macready and helped her strap her to the cart.

"I'll be back in one hour. Be sure you're here to put Winter back in the stables." Mrs. Macready said as she wacked Winter with her whip. I felt bad for the white horse as I still heard Mrs. Macready's whip. I turned away and went back to the stables to saddle up Jupiter. He was so enthusiastic once I opened his stall gate. It didn't take me long to tack him up. I pulled on his reins, pulling him out of the stable. As we stood outside, I mounted Jupiter's saddle and clicked my tongue twice, signaling him to start trotting. After a few minutes, we neared a large, grassy field; I nudged Jupiter's side, giving him the okay to run. Suddenly, my horse took off like a bullet as we both charged through the field. As I felt the cool air on my face, memories of me riding in Narnia before the White Witch cursed the eternal winter hell it is know flooded my head. I hoped that the four visitors would be able to help bring back the peace that belonged to Narnia. After a few moments of running and racing, I stopped Jupiter and let him rest.

"What do you think, Jupiter?" I asked my horse, "Do you think our visitors will help Narnia?"

Jupiter nodded his head and neighed. I patted his neck in affection before looking out to the countryside.

"Come on, Jupiter." I said, "Let's go brush you down before our guests arrive."

I gently kicked his side with the heel of my boot and my horse broke off into a run, heading back to the stables. As we arrived at the entrance, I slid off the saddle, took the reins in my hand and walked Jupiter inside. I opened up his stall gate and led him, closing it behind us. I took off Jupiter's saddle and pulled his reins out of his mouth. I took off my helmet letting my curls frame my face and my ponytail brushed against my back as I hung my helmet on the spare hook on the side of the stall. I grabbed the horse brush that was on the side of the spare hook and began to brush down my horse for about 15 minutes. When I was finished, I put the brush back in its spot. I heard the cracking of a whip coming closer to the stables. Knew Mrs. Macready had arrived with our guests.

"They're here!" I exclaimed to Jupiter, "Promise me that you'll be on your best behavior."

Jupiter nodded his head up and down in agreement. I left Jupiter's stall and went to the entrance. I saw Mrs. Macready barely coming to a stop. I watched as 4 kids climbed out of the back of the cart. There was a little girl who looked about 9 years old with mouse brown hair and ocean blue eyes. She was holding hands with another girl, who I believed was her older sister. She had a sable shade of brown hair and pale blue eyes. She looked about my age. A younger boy just looked around the stables with bright, brown eyes. A breeze blew through, sending some of his dark brown, almost black hair into his face. My heart started beating faster when my eyes caught a glimpse of the eldest boy. His beautiful blonde hair flew with the breeze while his crystal blue eyes sparkled with the afternoon sun. I looked at the ground, cursing myself in the head about how I should be focused on Narnia, not boys.

"Maria, put Winter back in her stall." Mrs. Macready ordered at me.

"Yes, Mrs. Macready." I said as I began to remove off the white horse.

"Children, go with Maria while I put the cart back in its place." Mrs. Macready told them.

All four of them nodded their heads at Mrs. Macready and they followed me into the stable with Winter at my left side, using her reigns as a guide.

"Look at all the pretty horses!" The youngest girl exclaimed.

I looked down at the girl and smiled back at her, "Do you like horses?"

"Yes, I do." The little girl answered as I put Winter back into her stall. I pulled off her reigns and placed them on a hook right next to her stall. After I closed the stall door, all the siblings just stared at me.

"Well, I guess that I should introduce myself," I said, "I'm Maria Kirke, the professor's niece."

"Nice to meet you." The little girl shouted happily, "I'm Lucy Pevensie."

"I'm Susan." The eldest girl introduced herself," And these are our brothers, Edmund and Peter."

"I could introduce myself." The dark-haired boy, Edmund, snapped.

"Ed!" The blonde boy, Peter, growled.

Jupiter stuck his head out of his stall and pushed his snout against Peter, startling him.

"Oh. Don't mind, Jupiter," I told the boy, "He's just saying hello!"

"He's pretty." Lucy admired Jupiter.

"Would you like to feed him?" I asked her.

"Can I?"

I nodded my head and handed her a carrot stick from my blazer pocket. Lucy stuck out her hand, letting Jupiter sniff her hand before chomping on the carrot. Lucy giggled as him as he bent his head down so she could pet him.

"I think we should get back. Mrs. Macready is a very impatient woman." I told the Pevensie siblings.

I lead them out of the stables and back to the mansion, only to find the impatient Mrs. Macready waiting for us.

"Took you long enough." The woman said sternly.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Macready. It's my fault." I told her, "I was showing them the horses and lost track of time."

"Very well then. Come along." Mrs. Macready said as she looked at the other. She quickly took a step closer to me and whispered in a low but stern voice. "I'll deal with you later."

She walked in front of us, forcing us to follow behind her. Peter stopped me for a second, letting the others follow Mrs. Macready.

"I wanted to say thank you for sticking up for us." Peter told me. I felt kind of awkward since it was just the two of us. "It should be my job but thank you."

"It's no problem at all. I just didn't want you all to be on Mrs. Macready's bad side on your first day here." I winked at Peter as we all made it to the mansion. Mrs. Macready had already taken off her coat and hat and put in on a hangar, storing it in a nearby closet. We all walked into the main lobby, leading to the staircase. I looked at the Pevensies as they looked at the mansion's interior.

"Professor Kirke is only accustomed to havin' Maria in the house." Mrs. Macready began to lecture while the others looked around, "And, as such, there are a few rules we need to follow. There will be no shoutin'. Or runnin'. No improper use of the dumbwaiter."

We were all walking up the stairs when Susan reached out to touch a statue when Mrs. Macready shouted, "No touchin' of the historical artifacts!"

Poor Susan was in shock as Peter and Edmund smirked at each other. I rolled my eyes and let the woman finish.

"And above all" Mrs. Macready continued, standing in front of my uncle's office, "There shall be no disturbin' of the professor" We all passed by my uncle's office quietly and the housekeeper showed them where they were going to sleep. She also told them that supper would be ready shortly.

"If you have any questions, ask Maria and she'll help you." Mrs. Macready said and she left.

"Well, I'll let you all settle in and I'll be getting ready for dinner. If you need anything, just knock on my bedroom door." I told the Pevensies. We all dispersed and went to our rooms. I changed into a blue blouse and a grey skirt. I brushed out my hair, leaving my curls to hang loose. I opened my door to check on the others when I saw Peter with his arm raised, ready to knock on the door.

"Um... Hi." Peter scratched the back of his head nervously.

I smiled at him, "Is there something I could help you with?"

"Umm... Where's the loo?"

I pointed down the hall. "Last door."

"Thanks."

"No problem."

Peter walked away to the restroom and I went next door to the girl's room. I knocked on the door to hear Susan say "Come in." I pushed open the door to see Lucy and Susan unpacking.

"Hello, Maria." Lucy greeted.

"Hello." I smiled at the young girl, "Did you two find everything okay?'

"Yes, thank you." Susan answered.

"Well, we better get washed up before supper." I told them, "The loo's down the hall."

"Thanks." Lucy laughed.

"My pleasure. Go ahead and get washed up. I'll call you when supper's ready."

"Thank you." The girls said in unison.

I smiled at both of them before leaving their room. I headed to the bathroom to wash up quickly. I saw Peter coming out and he collided with me in the hall.

"Sorry." We both said.

We both tried to move out of each other's way but ended up moving in the same direction. We both giggled nervously as we got it right the third time. I continued my way to the bathroom. I felt Peter's eyes on me, sending chills down my spine. Why am I letting myself feel like this? I swore to myself that I wouldn't fall in love because my mother died of a broken heart. I didn't want to end up that way either.

After I washed up, I called the Pevensies, telling them that supper was ready. We all headed into the dining room and sat on the long table with me in the end and the girls to my left and the boys to my right.

"Isn't the professor going to be joining us?" Lucy asked.

"Uncle rarely eats in this room" I informed her, "I usually eat with him in his office but since you are our guests I decided to eat with you all but don't worry, uncle will come eat with us sooner or later"

Dinner was served to us and we all ate in an uncomfortable silence until Susan broke the ice.

"So, Maria" Susan spoke up, "Have you always lived with the professor?"

"Since I was seven" I answered honestly.

"What happened to your parents?" Peter asked suddenly.

"They passed away" I said sadly.

"How?" Edmund asked then yelped in pain, "Ow!" I was guessing that Peter kicked him since Susan or Lucy were too far to reach him.

"There is no need for you to be rude" Susan scolded him.

"Yes mum" Edmund said sarcastically.

"It is okay, Susan" I told her, "I wouldn't have answered his question anyway"

From the corner of my eye I could see that Peter had a small smile on his lips then he glared at Edmund some more.

"Well, if you are done with your meal then we should start to prepare for bed" I informed them, "I will be with you after I have my nightly routine with my uncle"

"And that is?" Edmund asked.

"Ed!" Peter and Susan scolded.

"It's fine, my uncle and I talk about our day while drinking a nice up of hot chocolate" I said.

"Lucky" Edmund grumbled.

"Well aren't you just a ray full of sunshine" I said sarcastically to Edmund before looking back at the others, "I'll be leaving first, excuse me"

I stood up from my seat and leaving the dining room hearing angry whispers towards Edmund from behind me. I shook my head in disappointment as I walked to my uncle's office. I must be mistaken if they are the ones in the prophecy to save Narnia. Peter and Susan maybe, but Edmund is too arrogant and rude, Lucy seems too young but she does handle things maturely, at least I think so. It's going to be harder than I thought to get them to Narnia. I need a really good plan. I continued thinking until I made it to the door of my uncle's office. I knocked three times letting my uncle know that it was me.

The door opened to my uncle with a pipe in his hand, "You're right on time. The hot chocolate just got here."

I walked into his office taking a seat in the chair across my uncle's desk, "Did you expect me to be here later?"

"Of course, since we have our guests here, I thought that you would've been having a good time with them"

"They are fun and interesting, except for one of them how is a little rude"

"That's probably just his way of adjusting to this environment"

"You're probably right"

After my uncle handed me my cup of hot chocolate in a tea cup we talked about the rest of both of our days. Once I was finished drinking my hot chocolate, my uncle and I said our goodnights to each other and he went back doing his research as I left his office. I walked down the hall and up a couple of stairs to another hall to make to my bedroom. On my way before I went to my room I saw that Susan and Lucy's bedroom door was open. Peter was in there with them and Edmund must have gone to bed by now. Lucy was sitting on her side of the bed under the covers with her back against the headboard and Susan and Peter were listening to the radio about the war. I saw that Lucy started crying and Susan turned off the radio which caused Peter to glare at her until she gestured to Lucy.

"The sheets feel scratchy" Lucy said.

"You'll get used to it" I said out loud while walking into the room, "I remember my first night here, I was just like you"

I realized that I walked in without knocking or permission which caused a surprised look from Peter and Susan to me.

"I'm sorry to intrude" I apologized, "It's just that I saw the door open and I didn't mean to-"

"It's okay" Peter stopped me and gave me a little smile.

I smiled back then tucked my hair behind my ear which I tend to do when I'm nervous.

"Don't worry Lucy" Susan told her sister, "Wars don't last forever, we'll be home soon"

"If home still even there" Edmund said while walking in behind me.

"Shouldn't you be in bed?" Susan scolded.

"Yes mum" Edmund said sarcastically.

"Ed!" Peter shouted at him.

I sat on the bed next to Lucy and gave her a smile, "I know that the first night at a new place is scary, especially in a place as big as this, but you know what helped me get to sleep?"

"What was it?" Lucy asked.

"A lullaby" I answered, "The same lullaby that my mum sang to me every night since I was a baby"

"Could you sing it for me?" Lucy asked sheepishly.

"But this song is in Spanish because after all my mother was from Spain" I told her.

"Please!"

"Only if it is okay with you brother and sister"

Lucy pouted at Peter and Susan who laughed at her.

"Please" Susan said, "Maybe it will help her fall asleep"

"Okay" I said then looked at Lucy, "You are going to want to get tucked in because this lullaby will put you to sleep"

Lucy laid down completely and pulled the covers up to her chest giving me an excited look.

"Now I promise you that tomorrow we will do whatever you want tomorrow" I said to Lucy.

"She's right Lu" Peter said, "You've seen outside this house is huge"

Peter looked at me and gave me a reassuring smile and I looked down hoping that I wasn't blushing.

"Okay, are you ready?" I asked Lucy.

Lucy nodded with a smile.

"Alright, now I'll sing one verse in Spanish and then translate it so you will understand what I am singing"

I closed my eyes and I thought of my mother, praying that she will give me some help with the song. I opened my eyes and looked at Lucy then I started singing:

_A la puerta del cielo venden zapatos,_

_Para los angelitos que andan descalzos._

_Duermete, niña, Duermete, niña,_

_Duermete, niña, arru, arru. _

_At the gate of heaven little shoes they are selling,_

_For the little bare-footed angels there dwelling._

_Slumber my baby, slumber my baby_

_Slumber my baby, arru, arru._

_A los niños que duerman Dios benedice_

_A las madres que velan Dios las asiste._

_Duermete, niña, Duermete, niña,_

_Duermete, niña, arru, arru._

_God will bless children so peacefully sleeping_

_God will help mothers who's love they are keeping_

_Slumber my baby, slumber my baby_

_Slumber my baby, arru, arru. _

_Slumber my baby, slumber my baby_

_Slumber my baby, arru, arru. _

_Slumber my baby, arru, arru._

Once I was finished singing Lucy had already fallen asleep. I looked at the others and they all gave me smiles, well except for Edmund.

"Wow, you were right that song does put you to sleep, because it's so boring" Edmund said then left the room.

"I'm sorry about him" Peter apologized.

"No need to apologize, it's probably just Edmund's way of coping to a new place" I said before taking one last look at Lucy, "We should be getting to bed anyway"

"You're right" Susan said as I got up from the bed, "Thank you for the lullaby it was really beautiful"

"Just trying to make you stay more comfortable" I admitted, "Well, goodnight"

"Goodnight" Susan said.

I walked out of the room with Peter on my tail. I turned around when I felt his touch on my shoulder.

"Is something wrong?" I asked.

"No, it's just that I wanted to thank you" Peter said, "And to… walk you to your room"

"My room is next door, Peter, it's not like I'm going to get lost" I giggled, "Besides I spent half of my life here"

"Well, I just wanted to do something to thank you" Peter admitted.

"How very gentlemen-like of you" I told him.

We started walking to my room which turned out to be a little farther than I thought.

"So your mother is from Spain?" Peter asked trying to make some conversation.

"Yes, my father met her on a business trip to Madrid, she was his waitress" I answered.

We had already arrived at my room but we continued talking.

"Do you keep in touch with your family in Spain?" Peter asked.

"No" I answered honestly.

"I would ask why but I don't want to pry"

"It's alright, I'll tell you anyway. My mom's side of the family shunned me because my mother fell in love with an Englishman"

I could tell by Peter's facial expression that he was saddened by what I said.

"It's okay, Peter, I've accepted it" I told him, "Which is why I'm thankful to my uncle, if it wasn't for him then I would have no family"

I looked back to my bedroom door then back at Peter, "We should be getting to bed, Mrs. Macready will have a cow if she finds out we've been up this late"

Peter chuckled at my comment, "See you tomorrow then"

My hand was on my doorknob and I turned back to Peter, "Goodnight Peter"

Peter smiled at me, "Goodnight Maria"

I opened my door and closed it behind me and I felt my face turned hot. I snapped myself out of it thinking that Peter couldn't like me, especially since I'm hiding my secret about Narnia. I know that once I have to tell him that he'll think that I'm crazy. I stopped overthinking my situation and changed into my nightgown then went to bed hoping that tomorrow would be better than it was today.

_**(A/N: And CUT! Here is the second chapter! I really hope that you guys like it! The lullaby is not mine! Well it's my grandma's who sang it to me when I was little. I like to thank **_**animeforeva20**_** and **_**Guest **_**for reviewing! See you guys next week for the next chapter! Please R&R!)**_


	3. Chapter 3

_**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN CHRONICLES OF NARNIA!**_

I woke up the next morning relaxed but I look out my window to see it pouring rain outside. I sighed to myself thinking about how sad Lucy will be when she finds out that we can't play outside. I got up from my bed and then I made my bed so Mrs. Macready won't have to do it for me. I went to my closet and picked out what I was going to wear for today. I ended up choosing a white blouse with a burgundy skirt and a dark forest green cardigan to complement my eyes. I put on my white knee high stockings and my black loafers before walking out of my bedroom door. I walked to the Susan and Lucy's room and knocked on the door before walking in.

"Good morning" I greeted the girls.

"Good morning" Susan smiled at me.

I looked at Lucy to see that she had a sad look on her face. I looked at Susan and she gave me a defeated expression like she didn't know what to do.

"Well if you're both ready lets go eat some breakfast" I told the girls with a smile hoping to bring up both of their spirits.

After an uncomfortable silence at the breakfast table because we were all considered about Lucy, I showed the Pevensie sibling my favorite room in the whole entire mansion, the library. Susan seemed to be the most pleased about the room and went straight for the bookshelves. Lucy went to look out the rain-stained window with a disappointed look on her face. Edmund just gave me a rude look before he sat on the floor and started playing with the bottom of one of the chairs. Peter took a seat on the chair by the window while sat down on the couch. Susan took a seat next to me with a huge dictionary on her lap.

"Want to play a game?" Susan asked me and Peter.

"Don't tell me that it's the 'Guess the Origin of the Word' game?" Edmund scoffed.

"Of course, what else would it be?" Susan answered.

"I've never heard of that game before" I said.

"Susan invented the game" Peter informed me.

"Well since I am new to the game why don't you show me how it's done?" I told Peter.

"And I think that you two should get a room" Edmund sneered.

"Edmund!" Susan scolded.

"What? You see it too that they've been flirting with each other since yesterday" Edmund mocked.

"How about we get this game started shall we?" I interjected trying to change the subject and hopefully avoid an argument between the siblings.

Susan just opened the dictionary without saying a word until she found one and looked at Peter then back at the book to sound out the word: "Gastrovascular"

There was a moment of silence and all you heard was the rain pouring from outside and Edmund carving something underneath a chair.

"Come on, Peter. Gastrovascular" Susan repeated.

"Is it Latin?" Peter asked.

"Yes" Susan confirmed.

"Is it Latin for 'worst game ever invented'?" Edmund mocked.

Peter let out a small chuckle and I put my fingers to my mouth to keep myself from laughing. Susan was obviously offended and slammed the dictionary shut.

"We could play hide and seek" Lucy suggested.

"But we are already having so much fun" Peter said in a sarcastic tone then giving me a wink which caused me to let out a small giggle.

"Come on, Peter. Please" Lucy begged tugging on his arm and giving him her famous puppy dog face, "Pretty please?"

"1, 2, 3, 4…" Peter started counting.

Everyone spread out as Peter continued counting and even though I knew that this was a child's game I was a little excited about it since it had been years since I've played this game with the neighborhood children back in London before my parents died. I passed Susan who hid in a wooden case and I went further ahead to my secret hiding spot that I used when I was hiding from Mrs. Macready, an unused dumbwaiter. I still could hear Peter counting then when he got to 100 he announced that he was starting to come and seek us. When I heard voices of Peter, Edmund and Lucy, I got out of the dumbwaiter and went to Susan's hiding spot and she was climbing out of the wooden case. We both looked at each other and pondered if the game was over. We both decided to go and follow the voices of her brothers and sister. Once we got to where they all were just standing in the middle of the room a bit dumbfounded.

"Does this mean we win?" Susan said referring to herself and me.

"I don't think that Lucy wants to play anymore" Peter informed us.

"But I was gone for hours" Lucy said.

"Where did you go?" I dared to ask Lucy.

"To Narnia" Lucy answered, "Come on I'll show you"

Lucy took my hand and pulled me to where she wanted to go. I was still trying to hide my shocked face from the others because I did not expect Lucy to find the wardrobe this soon. On our way to the spare room with the wardrobe Lucy explained to us that she was hiding in the wardrobe and when she went to feel for the back of the wardrobe and felt pine needles and that she was in the snow covered woods and how she met a faun named Mr. Tumnus by a lamppost and how she went over to his house for tea. I looked over to Lucy's siblings and they all acted as if it was just Lucy's imagination. We arrived at the spare room with the wardrobe and Susan began to investigate it. Edmund went to the back of the wardrobe as Susan opened up the wardrobe and knocked at the wood in the back of the wardrobe. Thank Aslan that she didn't notice my bow and arrows that I hid in the wardrobe.

"Lucy, the only wood in here is back of the wardrobe" Susan told Lucy.

"One game at a time, Lu" Peter said, "We all don't have your imagination"

Peter looked at his brother and sister and they started to walk towards the door. I stood by Lucy's side and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"But I wasn't imagining!" Lucy protested.

"That's enough, Lucy" Susan said sternly.

"I wouldn't lie about this!" Lucy argued.

"Well, I believe you" Edmund said which made me give him a serious look because I had a feeling of what was going to happen next.

"You do?" Lucy asked.

"Yeah, of course. Didn't I tell you about the field in the bathroom cupboards" Edmund teased.

That was the last straw for me and I snapped, "Edmund!"

"Will you just stop?" Peter snarled, "You just have to make everything worse, don't you?"

"It was just a joke" Edmund argued.

"More like an insult" I said to myself.

"When are you gonna learn to grow up?" Peter said in a disappointing tone.

"Shut up! You think that you're Dad, but you're not!" Edmund yelled and stormed out of the room.

Susan glared at Peter and said, "Well that was nicely handled", then she took off after Edmund.

"But… It really was there" Lucy sounded defeated.

"Susan's right, Lucy. That's enough" Peter said and left the room.

Poor Lucy started to sob silently, I hated to see her cry and I pulled her into a hug. Lucy wrapped her arms around my waist and began to cry on my skirt but I didn't care. I rubbed Lucy's back in a circle comforting her, I had to do something and I wanted her to know that I knew she wasn't lying. I thought of a Narnian Lullaby that would put anyone to sleep and Lucy had mentioned that Mr. Tumnus played a lullaby for her. I began humming the lullaby and Lucy slowly started to stop crying. She looked up at me with her blue eyes and gave me a surprised look.

"You've been to Narnia?" Lucy asked me.

"Been there? I practically live there" I winked at Lucy.

"So you know, Mr. Tumnus?"

"Not exactly, I don't know Mr. Tumnus, but did tell about the endless winter?"

"Yes, he did. He told me that the White Witch thinks that she is the queen of Narnia"

"What else did he tell you?"

"That he was giving orders to turn in any human that comes into Narnia, why would she want that?"

"Your questions will all be answered soon but for now you cannot tell anyone about my involvement with Narnia, promise?"

"I promise"

"If you ever get to Narnia again, be careful, okay? But if you happen to take your brothers and sister with you, throw a snowball at them for me"

"Will do!"

Lucy ran out of the room with a smile on her face. I smiled to myself as I left the spare room after and closed the door behind me. I walked down the hall not watching where I was going when I bumped into Peter.

"I'm sorry" I apologized, "I wasn't watching where I was going"

"Seems like it" Peter said with a dull tone.

"Are you okay?"

"Do you really think that Lucy was telling the truth?"

"What if I did, would you think that I was mad?"

"A whole other world in a wardrobe! You can't be serious!"

"I prefer to give people the benefit of the doubt"

I was about to walk away when Peter grabbed my wrist, "What is your problem?"

I turned around looking at him with a serious face, "My problem? Peter ever since you got here you've been a little harsh to your siblings!"

"They are my family! It has nothing to do with you!"

Peter's words hurt me and I knew that he knew because his face went soft.

"Look-" Peter started to say but I cut him off.

"Don't!" I shouted as I felt tears stinging my eyes, "You should be lucky to at least have your brother and sisters to lean on to during this time of crisis but you just spit in their faces! I wish that I had siblings, maybe which would've made my parents' death a lot less hard than it was because I'll know that I'm not alone! Edmund may be a little rude and a bit of a brat but maybe that's how he copes with being in a new place, and Lucy just wants you to believe in her but you decide not to! Think about it!"

I ripped my wrist from Peter's grip and ran out of the hall up some stairs into another hall to my bedroom. I passed by the girls' room but ignored Susan's call for me, once I got into my room I locked the door behind me then I curled myself onto my bed. Allowing the tears to come out my eyes but trying to stay quiet so the others wouldn't hear me. There was a knock on my door but I ignored it until I heard who it was on the other side.

"Maria, are you alright?" It was Susan.

I sniffled, "I'm fine, Susan. I'm just not feeling well, can you tell Mrs. Macready that I won't have any supper tonight"

"Alright" Susan said but I could tell by her voice that she was kind of sad.

I laid on my back staring at my ceiling and Peter's words still repeated in my head. I hugged my pillow as I was trying to stop myself from crying but it was hard. I didn't even realize that I feel asleep until when I opened my eyes and it was dark outside. I was still kind of sleepy and I looked at the clock in my room and it said it was 9pm. I got out of bed and quickly changed into my nightgown then put my hair in a low ponytail before going back to bed and it didn't take me long for me to fall back asleep.

What seemed like minutes was hours when I woke up from a commotion down the hall. I got out of bed and grabbed my robe then putting on my slippers as I left my bedroom. Voices were coming from Peter and Edmund's room and the light was on with their door open. I peaked in the room to hear Lucy talking about Narnia again.

"Is everything alright in here?" I asked them walking into the room.

"Lucy was just dreaming that she was in Narnia" Susan informed me.

"But I haven't!" Lucy argued, "I saw Mr. Tumnus again! And this time Edmund went too!"

We all stared at Edmund especially me, curious about what had happened. Peter sat up on his bed looking at Edmund.

"You… You saw the faun?" Peter asked him.

Edmund slowly shook his head.

"Well Edmund didn't actually go there with me he-" Lucy stopped herself and looked at her brother curiously, "What were you doing, Edmund?"

We all waited for Edmund's answer but he sighed and looked at Peter, "I was just playing along. I'm sorry, Peter. I shouldn't have encouraged her, but you know what little children are like these days. They just don't know when to stop pretending"

Poor Lucy was so hurt by what Edmund said and ran out of the room crying. I was the first person to chase after her with Peter and Susan following behind me. Lucy crashed into my uncle and cried on him.

"Uncle…" I gasped.

Mrs. Macready stormed down the hall tying on her robe, "You children are one shenanigan shy of sleepin' in the stable!" She stopped what she was saying when she noticed my uncle, "Professor, I'm sorry. I told them you were not to be disturbed"

"It's alright, Mrs. Macready. I'm sure there's an explanation. But first of all I think this one is in need of a little hot chocolate" My uncle gestured toward Lucy.

"I'll go with them" I announced.

I followed Mrs. Macready and Lucy out of the hallway and Lucy was hugging me the whole time. I turned and looked at Susan and Peter who both gave me a "thank you" look, once my eyes met Peter's, I quickly looked down and walked away.

We made it to the kitchen and Mrs. Macready made Lucy her hot chocolate. I sat Lucy at the small table that some of the staff uses to eat during their breaks. Lucy was still crying bad it wasn't as bad as before. Mrs. Macready handed Lucy the hot chocolate and Lucy muttered a thank you.

"I'll take it from here, Mrs. Macready" I informed her.

"Alright, but no more shenanigans!" Mrs. Macready scolded.

Once Mrs. Macready left, I looked at Lucy and rubbed her back in circles as she sipped her hot chocolate.

"Feeling better?" I asked Lucy.

She nodded, "Yes"

"So, Edmund went to Narnia?"

"Yes! After I left Mr. Tumnus' house I saw him just standing there. But I don't know what he was doing when he was there"

"Hmmm… This is troubling"

"How so?"

"Lucy, did you tell Edmund about the White Witch?"

"Yes, but not until after I saw him"

I pondered for myself for a minute while Lucy was finishing up her hot chocolate.

"I'm going to Narnia tomorrow, do you think that you could cover for me?"

"Of course!"

"Okay, I'm going to fake being sick. I need you to distract them like going outside to play, hopefully we have nice weather tomorrow"

"Okay, I could do that"

"Also, I'm going to be in Narnia for a while so if you happen to be in Narnia be careful. I'll check on your friend Mr. Tumnus before I do what I need to do"

Lucy nodded and she finished her hot chocolate. I washed the cup and dried it for Mrs. Macready. We both walked back to our rooms and I gave Lucy a hug goodnight before she went inside her room. I went to my room and started to fake cough but it would sound real to other people. I yawned afterward, taking off my robe, putting it on the edge of my bed, and laying on my curling up in my covers as I fell asleep for the last time.

_**(A/N: And CUT! And another chapter has come and gone! I hope that you all liked it and thank you for more follows and favorites! This time lets try and get some reviews! Even though I though that you don't know what to say or you can't find the right words it's a-okay. I just want to know that you all like my story and it gives me that inspiration to continue this fanfic. Anyway, please take my words to heart and I'll see you all next week! Please Read and REVIEW! :D)**_


	4. Chapter 4

_**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN CHRONICLES OF NARNIA!**_

I woke up the next morning to the sun shining on my face, I look out the window to seeing a beautiful green field. I smiled to myself thinking that my plan could work now. I got out of bed and went to my closet to pull out my secret box of the outfit that I wear to Narnia. Once I was finished getting dressed I went to my mirror and put my hair in a loose side ponytail. I grabbed my snow white cloak, I was about to leave my room when there was a knock on my door.

"Maria?" It was Susan, "Are you going to eat breakfast?"

I remembered that I was supposed to be sick and I made my voice sound raspy, "I asked Mrs. Macready to send my breakfast to my uncle's office"

"Are you feeling alright? You sound horrible"

"Probably just caught a small flu, I'll be alright by tomorrow"

"Okay, I hope you feel better"

"Thank you, Susan"

I rubbed my throat as soon as I heard Susan leave. Faking a raspy voice hurt my throat, I would probably ask Mrs. Beaver for some tea if I ever saw her. I waited it out for a few more minutes and then I saw the Pevensies in the yard. I took that as my cue and left my room headed to the upstairs spare room. I got there in no time and went into the wardrobe grabbing my bow and arrows I hid behind the fur coats. I followed the directions that Lucy had given me the night before to get to Mr. Tumnus' house. Once I got into eye distance of the faun's home I noticed wolves at his doorstep and everyone in Narnia knows that the wolves work for the White Witch. I slowly backed away so the wolves won't notice me and I started to pull out an arrow from my quiver when I heard some softly "psst" as me I turned to my right to see Mr. Beaver hiding behind a small snow wall. I pulled my hood on and quietly sped over to Mr. Beaver.

"Your Highness, what are you doing here?" Beaver questioned me softly.

"I came to talk to Mr. Tumnus," I whispered, "What happened?"

"They took him"

"Damn, the witch must've found out about Lucy"

Mr. Beaver was about to say something when we heard the wolves howl and they retreated back into the forest. We stayed quiet until every one of those wolves was in a far distance from us.

"Did you speak to Tumnus before he was taken?" was the first question I asked Mr. Beaver as soon as the coast was clear.

"Not for long, Your Highness" Mr. Beaver said and pulled out a white handkerchief then handed it to me.

I looked at the initials labeled on the handkerchief, it was L.P., "Lucy Pevensie" I said as I read the initials, "This isn't good, the four people in the prophecy are going to be here sooner than I thought because as soon as Lucy finds out what has happened to Mr. Tumnus she will hurry back to Narnia falling into the witch's trap"

"What do you suggest we do, Your Highness?"

"One thing is for you to stop calling me 'Your Highness' and I've been telling you for years to start calling me Maria"

"My apologizes, Your- I mean Maria"

"Much better, another thing Lucy's brother Edmund has been to Narnia too but without Lucy so his whereabouts are unclear when he was in Narnia"

"Do you think that he met the White Witch?"

"It's a possibility, which means that Edmund will try anything to get all four of them in Narnia"

"Is there anything else?"

"Just one more thing, if my assumptions are right, they will all be here very soon and I would like for you to stay here just in case they do arrive because this is the first place that they would go"

"Should we inform Aslan about this?"

"Knowing my father he would have a better idea of their arrival"

"Of course"

"I'll be back soon I just need to check back on something back where I'm from then I'll be back here by nightfall, hopefully"

"Until then, Maria" Beaver bowed to me.

"Till we meet again, dear friend" I smiled at the beaver and walked away from the wreckage of Mr. Tumnus' home.

It took me a while before I made it by the wardrobe when I heard voices coming from it. I recognized those voices it was the Pevensies! They were here a lot sooner than I thought. I quickly hid behind a tree hearing three of the four laughing, I was guessing that they were having a snowball fight when Edmund said "Ow". I took this opportunity to run ahead without them noticing so I could inform Mr. Beaver. At the speed I was going I arrived to Tumnus' house in half the time.

"Back so soon, Maria?" Mr. Beaver asked.

"They're here" That was all I need to say to get Mr. Beavers attention.

"Already?!"

"Yes, I'll be hiding close by, but I want you to take them to your dam. I'll be listening in closely once you are home. Tell them everything you can, and when you get to the part about my father, I will knock on your door three times"

"Will do, Maria. I think that you should start hiding now before someone sees you"

"Please," I scoffed, "I'm not a threat remember?"

With that said I went and hid and got a perfect view of the home and Mr. Beaver's hiding spot. After a few moments I heard voices to my left, I lifted my hood up a bit to see the four Pevensies and Lucy was leading them towards the home of Mr. Tumnus but she stopped when she saw the front door of the house knocked down. Lucy ran to the home with her siblings behind her calling her name. Mr. Beaver looked up at me and I nodded at him, I started to whistle for a bird and a black-red robin flew on my shoulder.

"Hello, Your Highness" The robin addressed me, "What can I do for you?"

"I need you to do to things for me, please." I told the little bird.

"Anything, Your Highness, you name it"

"Inside that home is our four saviors from the prophecy, I need you to signal them somehow to come outside and see Beaver. Afterward, pass the message to my father who is in a camp near the Stone Table"

"Right away, Your Highness"

The bird flew into a branch near the house and "psst" while whistling for the Pevensies then he flew off to give my father the message. The Pevensies slowly got out of the home in caution and got scared when Mr. Beaver accidentally stepped on a stick. They got closer together except for Edmund who stood behind them. They sighed in relief when they saw that it was Mr. Beaver, who was smelling the area on all fours then walking to the Pevensies.

"It… It's a beaver" Lucy said

"Here boy" Peter clicked his tongue and sticking out his hand to Mr. Beaver.

"I ain't gonna smell it if that's what you want" Mr. Beaver said having my friends look at him in shock.

"Oh, sorry" Peter apologized which caused Lucy to giggle.

"Lucy Pevensie?" Mr. Beaver addressed the small girl.

"Y-Yes?" Lucy answered then Mr. Beaver handed Lucy the white handkerchief, "Hey this is the hanky I gave to Mr.-"

"Tumnus" Beaver finished her sentence, "He gave to me just before they took him"

"Is he alright?" Lucy asked.

"Further in" Mr. Beaver whispered to them then going back by the snow wall.

"What are you doing?" Susan hissed as she pulled Peter back.

"Susan's right, how do we know can we trust him?" Edmund agreed with his sister.

Peter shrugged, "He says he knows the faun"

"He's a beaver! He shouldn't be saying anything!" Susan cried.

"Everything alright?" Mr. Beaver asked coming from behind the trees.

"Yes. We're just talking" Peter informed him.

"That's best for safer quarters" Mr. Beaver said looking around and disappeared back behind the trees.

"He means the trees" Lucy whispered and followed Mr. Beaver with the others behind her.

I followed them by hiding from tree to tree trying to be careful not to slip on the ice. I stood a few meters back as they cut through between the cliffs, once they were out by the dam I stayed behind looking at them walking to the dam. Mr. Beaver looked at me directly and I nodded my head to him allowing him to continue to go on ahead. Once I noticed that everyone arrived inside the dam and I walked over to the dam listening in on the conversation.

"Isn't there anything we could do to help Mr. Tumnus?" I heard Peter ask.

"They'll have taken him to the Witch's castle, and you know what they say. There's few that go through them gates that come out again" Mr. Beaver said grimly.

"Fish n' chips" I heard Mrs. Beaver's cheery voice and I smiled to myself thinking how in the past Mrs. Beaver would always be cheering me up when I'm down, "But there is still hope, dear. Lots of hope"

"Oh yeah! There's a right bit more of hope!" Mr. Beaver shouted happily then there was a pause as his voiced lowered, "Aslan is on the move"

There was a pause and I was about to knock when I heard Edmund spoke up, "Who's Aslan?"

"Who's Aslan?" Mr. Beaver repeated while laughing, "You cheeky blighter!" Mr. Beaver continued laughing then he stopped for a moment then he said, "You don't know do you?"

"Well, we haven't exactly been here that long" Peter told Mr. Beaver.

"Well, he's the only king of the whole wood. The top geezer. The real king of Narnia" Mr. Beaver sounded excited.

"He's been away for a long while," Mrs. Beaver began to explain.

Mr. Beaver cut off his wife, "But he's just got back! He's waiting for you near the Stone Table!"

I took that as my cue and knocked on the door three times.

"Who could that be?" Mrs. Beaver questioned.

I heard small footsteps coming towards the door and I heard Mr. Beaver say, "Ladies and gents, I like you all to meet our Princess Maria"

The door opened and I ducked inside taking off my hood revealing myself to everyone and placing one hand on my hip, "Well, nice to see you all everyone"

"Maria!" Peter and Susan gasped.

_**(A/N: Hehehehe I decided to give you guys a little cliffhanger! And as promised another chapter on a beautiful Tuesday! Sorry if it's shorter than usual, I'm still trying to figure where to end and where to begin a chapter. Thank you to **_**dream lighting**_** and **_**EgyLynx**_** for the reviews! Let's try to get twice as many reviews for the next chapter! Okay so I'll see you all next week! Adios amigos! Please read and REVIEW!)**_


	5. Chapter 5

_**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN CHRONICLES OF NARNIA!**_

"Hi, Maria!" Lucy greeted me and ran up to me, and gave me a hug.

"Hello to you too, Lucy" I said with a smile.

"You knew this whole time?" Peter asked me.

"Well, when I told you that I did believe Lucy, you called me crazy," I pointed out, "Am I crazy now?"

Those words kept Peter quiet and he even blushed a little.

"So, I heard that your were talking about my father" I said as I took off my cloak and placed it by a nearby coat hanger that Mr. Beaver made whenever I came to visit, "Let's get down to business shall we?"

"Your father?" Susan questioned, "You told us that your father died"

"My father back in our world he is, but here Aslan is my father and always has been since he found me when I first discovered Narnia" I answered, "Now we need go and see my father, he's waiting for all of you"

"He's waiting for us?" Lucy asked.

"You're bloomin' jokin'!" Mr. Beaver shouted in disbelief, "They don't even know the prophecy!"

"Well then…" Mrs. Beaver encouraged her husband.

Mr. Beaver looked at me for approval and I said, "It's okay Mr. Beaver go on and explain"

Mr. Beaver cleared his throat before he continued, "Look. Aslan's return, Tumnus' arrest, the secret police… it's all happening because of you!"

"You're blaming us?" Susan gaped.

"No! Not blaming! Thanking you" Mrs. Beaver explained.

"There's a prophecy" I added then looking at Mr. Beaver to recite it.

"When Adam's flesh and Adam's bone sits at Cair Paravel in throne, the evil time will be over and done" Mr. Beaver recited.

"You know, that doesn't really rhyme" Susan pointed out.

"I know it doesn't, but you're kinda missing the point" Mr. Beaver said.

"It's long been fortold that two sons of Adam and two daughters of Eve will defeat the White Witch and restore peace to Narnia" Mrs. Beaver said happily.

"And you think that we're the ones?!" Peter said shocked.

"You better be because Aslan's already fitted out your army!" Mr. Beaver exclaimed.

"Our army?!" Lucy asked.

"Mum sent us away so we wouldn't get caught in a war" Susan said to Peter.

"I think that you made a mistake" Peter said looking at the Beavers, "We're not heroes"

"We're from Finchley" Susan said.

"And I'm from London but Narnia is still my home" I told Susan.

Susan looked at the Beavers, "Thank you for your hospitality, but we really have to go"

"No! You can't just leave!" Mr. Beaver protested.

"He's right" Lucy implied, "We have to help Mr. Tumnus"

"It's out of our hands" Peter told his sister.

"Peter, wait!" I exclaimed while standing up, "Please, I need your help. Narnia has always been my home for as long as I can remember. Just like how your home was in a middle of a war but you couldn't do anything to help. Well, my home is now going to war and I can't do it alone, the prophecy didn't mention me saving Narnia, the prophecy mentioned all for of you."

"I'm sorry" Peter apologized, "It's about time the four of us were getting home"

I held back my hurt feelings and looked at Peter straight in the eye, "Fine, leave! I don't want to see you for the remainder of your stay at my uncle's home! I'll save Narnia on my own"

Peter and Susan looked at me with pain in their eyes. Peter looked behind him as he called for his brother, "Ed?" When he realized that he wasn't there he looked around the dam for him but Edmund was nowhere to be found, "I'm gonna kill him" Peter said looking at Susan.

"You may not have to" Mr. Beaver said, "Has Edmund been in Narnia before?"

"Oh no" I said then I grabbed my cloak and my bow and arrows then looked at everyone, "If we leave now we might still catch him"

Peter was the first to grab his coat along with Susan and Lucy. Mrs. Beaver stayed behind as Mr. Beaver followed us out. I held my bow in my hand tightly just in case we were attack my any of the White Witch's followers. I lead the group with Mr. Beaver and Peter right on my tail. Peter was trying to hurry up his sisters but it was very difficult for them to run up the hill in the snow without the proper shoes. Once we made it up to hill to see a dark figure walking into the threshold of the Witch's castle. It was Edmund!

"Edmund!" Lucy shouted to her brother.

"Shh! They'll hear you!" Mr. Beaver told Lucy.

Peter tried to run to get Edmund but Mr. Beaver and I pulled him back then I stood in front of Peter with my hands on this shoulders, "If you just rashly go in there you will be dead before you even get close to Edmund"

"You're playing into her hands!" Mr. Beaver yelled at Peter.

"We can't just let him go!" Susan exclaimed.

"He's our brother!" Lucy said.

"He's the bait!" I shouted.

"The Witch wants all four of you!" Mr. Beaver added.

"Why?" Peter questioned.

"To stop the prophecy from coming true!" Mr. Beaver implied, "To kill you!"

There was a moment of silence as we all looked back at the castle to see the castle doors close with Edmund behind them.

"This is all your fault!" Susan scolded her brother.

"My fault?" Peter exclaimed.

"None of this would've happened if you had listened to me in the first place!" Susan cried.

"Oh so you know this would happen?" Peter mocked her.

"I didn't know what would happen" Susan admitted, "Which is why we should have left while we still could!"

"ENOUGH!" I growled, "This will not solve anything with you to bickering!"

"She's right" Lucy agreed, "This isn't going to help Edmund"

"Only Aslan can help your brother now" Mr. Beaver said.

"Then take us to him" Peter said before looking back at the castle.

"Come on" I told everyone, "We better go now because the Witch probably already knows that you're here"

Everyone nodded as we walked down the hill. Mr. Beaver led the group with Susan and Lucy behind him, Peter was walking behind his sisters while I was behind him keeping an eye of our surroundings. Peter stopped for a second until I caught up and ended up walking next to him.

"Maria…" Peter started to say.

"Yes?" I answered.

"I just wanted to apologize for everything that I said back in your uncle's home and at the dam"

"What has past is in the past"

"What?"

"I forgave you already, Peter, I just wanted you to admit that you were wrong first"

Peter gave a slight smile then it faded, "Can Aslan really help?"

"My father will help"

Just at that moment we heard howling coming from behind us. All of us stopped at their tracks to look behind us.

"What was that?" Susan asked with a little tremble in her voice.

"Wolves" I answered with a hint of panic, "Run!"

We all ran as fast as we could to get to the dam before the wolves got to us. I pulled out an arrow from my quiver just in case if the wolves got close. We were able to make it to the dam and we all ran in the small twig-made home.

"Hurry, Mother! They're after us!" Mr. Beaver told his wife.

"Oh, right then" Mrs. Beaver said then went to the cupboards and pulled out food supplies from them.

"What is she doing?" Peter asked.

"You'll thank me later" Mrs. Beaver said as Susan began to help her, "It's a pretty long journey and Beaver gets pretty cranky when he's hungry"

"I'm cranky now!" Mr. Beaver complained.

"Do you think that we'll need jam?" Susan asked.

"Only if the Witch serves toast" Peter said sarcastically.

We heard the wolves outside and we all thought that we were done for until Mr. and Mrs. Beaver led us to a tunnel that they dug to go underground. I was the last one to hop down the tunnel and closed the small door behind me. We ran down the tunnel while the Beavers lead the group.

"Badger and me dug this. Comes up right near his place" Mr. Beaver said.

"You told me it lead to your mum's" Mrs. Beaver contradicted.

We were moving too fast that Lucy tripped on a root that was sticking out from the ground.

"Lucy, are you okay?" Susan asked her sister.

Before Lucy could respond we heard barking coming from behind us.

"They're in the tunnel" Lucy whispered in fear.

"Quick! This way!" Mr. Beaver told us.

"Hurry!" Mrs. Beaver urged us.

"Run!" Peter yelled.

We ran as fast as we could turning left and right when we need to until we hit a dead end and we didn't know whether to go left or right.

"You should've brought a map!" Mrs. Beaver scolded her husband.

"There wasn't room next to the jam!" Mr. Beaver shouted sarcastically.

Mr. Beaver climbed up making an exit big enough for us to go through. Peter went behind the Beavers and I helped Susan and Lucy out of the hole by pushing them up. Just as I climbed out Peter grabbed my hand pulling me out of the tunnel. Mr. Beaver and Peter rolled a barrel that was nearby and blocked the hole that we climbed out of until we heard a small cry from Lucy. I turned around to see that Lucy tripped on something.

"Lucy! Are you-" I knelt down to ask then I saw what she tripped on. It was a family of squirrels turned into stone. I looked around to see that there was stone statues around us of a dog, a boar, and so many more animals but my eyes stopped on a stone statue of a badger, my heart ached as I knew that it was Mr. Beaver's best friend, who he was staring sadly at.

"I'm so sorry, dear" Mrs. Beaver said as she placed a paw on his shoulder.

"He was my best mate" Mr. Beaver muttered sadly. I walked up to the Beavers and knelt down beside them as I brushed some snow from the stone badger.

"What happened here?" Peter asked.

"This is what becomes of those who crosses the witch" A voice declared. I quickly pulled out an arrow and aimed at the direction which the voice came from.

"Take one more step, traitor, and I'll chew you to splinters!" Mr. Beaver growled while being held back by Mrs. Beaver. The speaker came out which turned out to be a fox. I slowly lowered my bow as I recognized the fox.

"Relax!" The fox chuckled and leaped from a rock, "I'm one of the good guys"

"Yeah?! Well, you look an awful lot like the _bad_ ones" Mr. Beaver snapped.

"Wait, is that you, Little Fox?" I asked the fox.

"I'm not little anymore, your Highness" The fox laughed.

"Don't worry we could trust him, he's a friend" I informed everyone.

"And right now we got to move" Fox said just as we heard barking and movement from where the barrel was placed.

"What did you have in mind?" Peter asked quickly. Fox just gave us a sly smile.

"Climb up on that tree and I'll cover your tracks" Fox instructed, "I'll throw them off just _don't make a sound_"

Peter nodded as we all rushed for the tree. The Beavers climbed up with ease and Peter followed them up. Peter looked down to help me up but I got up the tree easily and he looked at me all surprised but snapped out of it to help his sisters. Susan and Lucy were struggling but Susan managed to climb up first as Lucy almost slipped but I caught her in time and I pulled her up the rest of the way having her take the spot next to me.

"Thanks" Lucy whispered.

"Shh…" Susan shushed and I looked down to see that Fox was covering our tracks with his tail. Within seconds the wolves crashed through the barrel and began sniffing around until they saw Fox.

"Evening gents" Fox greeted them, "Lost something have we?"

"Don't patronize me!" One of the wolves growled. By the size of the wolf that growled I noticed that he was bigger than the others so I was guessing that it must've been Maugrim, Captain of the Secret Police.

"I know where your alliance lies!" Maugrim growled once more, "We're looking for some humans!"

"Humans? Here in Narnia?" Fox laughed, "Now that's a bit of valuable information, wouldn't you say?"

Another wolf that was behind Fox jumped out and bit down in his back holding Fox down with his teeth. I was about to scream out but Peter slapped his hand over my mouth and I looked to my left that Susan had a hand over Lucy's mouth and when I looked to my right Mrs. Beaver had her paw on her husband's mouth. My eyes looked back down to see some of Fox's blood staining the white snow.

"Your reward is your life" Maugrim chuckled grimly, "It's not much, but still. Where are the fugitives?"

Fox whimpered in pain and if Peter wasn't holding me back then I would've attacked a long time ago. I knew that Fox would never betray us but I would be lying if I wasn't a tad afraid that he would our location. I looked at Peter and he gave me the same look that I should have. Once I stared back at the scene below me, Fox had locked eyes with me and I gave him a silent plea to hang on a little longer.

Fox hung his head, "North" Fox said weakly, "They ran north"

"Smell them out!" Maugrim ordered the other wolves then the wolf that was holding onto Fox tossed him aside like trash and Fox gave out a yelp in pain. The wolves ran off in the direction that Fox told them to go and we waited till the wolves were long gone before we climbed down the tree. I looked at Fox as he lied still in the snow. Worried about my friend, I jumped off the tree and I somersaulted when I landed leaving me without an injury. I knew that there were eyes on me when I landed but I went to the aid of my friend. I knelt down next to Fox as he looked at me with sad eyes.

"I'm okay, Your Highness, it's just a scratch" Fox joked.

"It's not a scratch" I argued, "C'mon we need to get that healed"

"I'll get a fire started" Mr. Beaver said.

Lucy went with Mr. Beaver to gather some firewood and Mrs. Beaver took over for me in treating Fox's wounds. Peter began to make a ring where the firewood would go. I went and looked at my surroundings to make sure that no one knew that we were here. When I turned around Mr. Beaver had made a fire from the firewood that Lucy help bring in. Lucy took a seat next to her sister who gave her a piece of bread. I took a seat next to Susan as I was setting down my bow and arrows next to me. Susan passed me some fish and bread as Peter took the seat next to my arrows.

"What did they do to make the Witch do such a thing?" I asked Fox.

"They were helping Tumnus. But the Witch got here before I did" Fox answered then whimpered and hissed in pain as Mrs. Beaver was healing his wounds.

"Are you alright?" Lucy asked in concern.

"Well, I wish that I could say that their bark was worse than their bite" Fox joked and began yelping in pain.

"Stop squirming" Mrs. Beaver scolded Fox, "You're worse than Beaver on bath day"

"Worst day of the year" Mr. Beaver whispered to the Pevensies and me then we chuckled slightly.

"Thank you for your kindness but I'm afraid that's all the cure I have time for" Fox said as he stood up on all fours.

"You're leaving?" Lucy interjected.

"It has been a pleasure my Queen and an honor, but time is short, and Aslan himself has asked me to gather more troops" Fox mentioned as he looked at all of us.

"You've seen Aslan?" Mr. Beaver asked shockingly.

"What's he like?" Mrs. Beaver added, "Is he everything that Maria has told us?"

"He's everything we've ever heard" Fox answered proudly, "He will be glad to have you by his side against the battle with the Witch"

"But we are not planning on fighting any witch" Susan commented.

"But surely, King Peter, the prophecy" Fox reminded him.

"You know he can't go to war without you" Mr. Beaver added.

"They're right" I voiced myself, "As much as I hate to admit it but I can't go to war without you all either"

Peter looked at me sadly before looking at his sisters then back to Fox before he took a pause to say, "We just want our brother back"

"Very well then, I bid you all goodbye" Fox said before taking off into the forest.

"Well, we have a long journey tomorrow, we best be off to bed" Mr. Beaver said.

"I'll take first lookout" I announced to everyone.

"Are you sure?" Peter asked me.

"Maria is one of the best warriors in Narnia" Mrs. Beaver informed, "She could handle herself"

With that said I helped Susan with a half asleep Lucy to put her on the blanket that Mrs. Beaver had brought with her. Susan covered her sister with the fur coat Lucy was wearing. I said goodnight to Susan and the Beavers as they went to sleep. Peter was still sitting in his spot just staring at the fire. I took a seat next to him which he didn't even notice until I waved my hand in front of him.

Peter snapped out on his daydream (or I guess "nightdream") and gave me and embarrassed look, "Sorry" he said.

"If you wanted to the first lookout all you had to do was ask" I joked which made Peter chuckle.

"Well… If you don't mind I like to keep you company" Peter said to me.

"If you want to" I undid my ponytail and finger-combed my hair then leaving it down. I looked back at Peter to see him zoned out again.

"Hey, are you alright?" I asked him.

Peter looked at me with a sad smile, "I just have a lot of things on my mind"

"Still sinking in that there is another dimension in the wardrobe?"

"No, I think that sunk in a while back when there was talking wolves"

"Peter, whatever is on your mind you could tell me, I won't judge. Since you basically know my biggest secret: Narnia"

Peter took a deep breath before he began talking, "My mum put me in charge and I-I failed her" Peter confessed, "You were right about me giving Edmund a hard time and now he's been taken by the Witch who wants me and my brother and sisters dead because of this prophecy. If I can't even keep my family safe, how am I supposed to keep an entire land safe? I'm not cut out on being a King"

"Okay, you listen to me and listen to me good" I scolded slightly, "We are going to get Edmund back from that horrid Witch with the help of my father. And If I remember my history correctly then there has been many great Kings that have made mistakes. A King isn't perfect Peter, we all have our own flaws, take me for example, there is many stereotypes about every little girls dream is to be a princess, me, I am living that dream and I'm not like any princess that I've read about. I'm not glamorous and I hate it when I'm addressed as a 'princess' even though my father is the 'King of Narnia'. But there is one thing that I have learned from being 'royalty' is that if your treat your subjects well, they will give you twice that respect back."

"Okay, I see your point" Peter held his hands up in defeat, "Although I do have one question for you"

"Go on and ask"

"How did you become a 'princess'? Since Aslan isn't you real father"

"I knew that you or your sisters was going to ask me that question. Well, to be honest, after my parents died and you already know the details of my living conditions, so, I was a little younger than Lucy when I found the wardrobe while playing 'Explorer' by myself and of course I couldn't believe that this beautiful land was inside the wardrobe. It wasn't until that day I came across Aslan, and I was terrified when I first saw him but he told me not to be scared. I know that the logical thing would be to run back to the wardrobe and to never speak of what I saw but there was something about him that reminded me of my dad. After allowing myself to trust Aslan, he showed me the beautiful places of Narnia, and after that visit I started to come to Narnia more often Aslan turned into my father figure that he basically adopted me as his daughter, which I'm glad he did or else I probably wouldn't be the girl that you see today"

"Remind me to thank Aslan when I see him"

"For?"

"For meeting a girl like you"

Those words made my heart race like there was no tomorrow and I was hoping that it was dark enough so Peter won't see that I was madly blushing. There was a moment of comfortable silence before I broke it.

"Well you could take the rest of the lookout shift if you want but I'm going to get some sleep, which I think that you should too considering the long journey we have tomorrow" I said slightly stretching.

"I'll stay up a bit longer but thank you" Peter smiled at me.

"Goodnight Peter and let me know if there is anything else that I could help you out with"

"You've helped me more than you'll know, goodnight Maria"

I smiled at Peter before claiming a spot next to Lucy using my cloak as a blanket from the snow. I looked up at the night sky thinking about my conversation with Peter which gave me butterflies in my stomach. I pondered a bit more before an image of my mother came into my head and how she died of a broken heart.

"I will not fall in love and be like mum" I whispered to myself as my eyes closed leading me to a peaceful slumber. Little did I know that someone was wide awake and heard everything that I said.

_**(A/N: And there it is! Another chapter my lovelies! I was really happy to see how many more of you lovely readers favorited or followed my story, but I got sad to only see 1 review on the last chapter, ONE! And I'm already working on Chapter 8 for you guys but if this story doesn't get up to at least 20 reviews by next Tuesday then the story will be discontinued for the time being until I get more reviews! Harsh I know, but how would you feel if you saw that a story that you have been working on for a long time isn't doing that well with reviews. I have faith in all of my lovely readers to make this goal possible! Don't let me down, and I hope to upload another chapter for you next week :) Adios my friends!)**_


	6. Chapter 6

_**Disclaimer: OKAY I THINK THAT YOU ALL KNOW BY NOW THAT I DON'T OWN NARNIA!**_

I woke up in the morning to a very energetic Lucy, ready to start our journey. I noticed that there was a fur coat covered me that I wasn't wearing when I went to sleep. I was wondering where I got this coat from when Peter came up to me.

"You were shivering last night, so I gave you my coat" Peter explained.

"Peter, you didn't have to, how did you stay warm?" I asked while taking the coat off of me.

"We have colder nights in London remember?" Peter held out his hand to help me up and I gratefully took it. Once he pulled me up I slipped on snow but Peter caught me in time and our faces were very close to each other.

"Are you alright?" Peter asked me.

I was looking into his blue eyes and I could tell that I was blushing, "I-I'm okay" I pulled myself away immediately and picked up his coat then gave it to him, "We should get some breakfast" I grabbed my cloak from the floor and brushed snow off of it before I put it on. I tied my hair back into a loose side ponytail as Mrs. Beaver handed me some toast with jam and some leftover fish as well. After we were all finished we packed up camp and we began our journey to the Stone Table. Moments later we were walking to the top of a hill where we got the most amazing view of the landscape of Narnia. I took one deep breath of the Narnian air and smiled.

"Home Sweet Home" I said looking from the trees to the frozen river.

"Now… Aslan's camp is near the Stone Table" Mr. Beaver stated, "Just across the frozen river"

"River?" Peter questioned.

"The river has been solid for a hundred years" Mrs. Beaver explained.

"It's so far" Peter observed.

"It's the world, dear" Mrs. Beaver told him, "Did you expect it to be small?"

"Small-er" Susan said as she looked at her brother.

"C'mon guys, where is your since of adventure?" I joked as I carefully climbed down the hill. Once we landed safely on the ground below us Susan pulled me aside as we allowed Peter, Lucy and the Beavers to walk ahead of us.

"Is something wrong, Susan?" I asked her.

"I know that you fancy Peter" Susan said.

"What?" I gaped, "I do not!"

"I overheard your conversation with him last night and when you went to bed you said something about your mum" Susan confessed, "What happened to her?"

"You mean besides the obvious?"

"Maria, you don't have to hide it any longer. I'm your friend, and you could tell me"

I took a deep breath in defeat as took one look at the back of Peter's head before looking back to Susan, "After my dad passed away, my mum went into a deep depression. She wouldn't eat, never got out of bed, she wouldn't even look at me anymore. Within a couple of months, my mum passed away with what the doctor said was heart failure. I knew though that my mum died from a broken heart because she couldn't live without my dad. I don't want to die of a broken heart which is why I've been distancing myself from boys and love because since I was a little girl I was always compared to my mum and I don't want to end up like her"

I finished pouring my guts to Susan and I held back tears as I thought of my parents that I loved very much even if we had a short time together. Susan look at me with sad eyes as she placed a hand on my shoulder.

"I'm so sorry to hear about your mother but you should know that you shouldn't let her passing ruin your future happiness with anyone" Susan said sincerely, "Besides I know that my brother really likes you"

"He does not" I protested.

"Please, even Edmund saw how you two were flirting, and didn't he give you his coat last night making sure that you were nice and warm while he could have been freezing all night"

"I didn't ask him to do that"

"You didn't have to"

"Do you always have to be right?" I joked.

"All I'm saying is that Peter really cares about you and I know that you care about him" Susan stated.

"C'mon you two!" Lucy ran up to us, "And I thought that I was going slowly"

Susan and I just smiled at each other and we caught up to the others. We continued walking for a long time and Lucy started to fall behind but I stood by her the whole time as Peter and Susan were ahead of us with the Beavers still in the lead. While we were walking I kept thinking about the conversation that I had with Susan. I was wondering if she was right, which I know that she was right though I hate to admit it. I looked at Peter and thought that maybe he did care about me but am I ready to care for him back. Lucy was starting to get tired that she was walking even slower.

"Hurry up, humans, while we are still young" Mr. Beaver called to us, which was starting to get annoying since he's been saying that to us since Susan and I's conversation.

"If he tells us to hurry one more time" Peter said in a playful tone as he knelt down to carry Lucy on his back, "I am going to turn him into a big, fluffy hat!" The joke caused the girls and I to start giggling.

"If you won't then I will" I joked back.

"Hurry up, come on!" Mr. Beaver shouted for the thousandth time.

"He is getting a little bossy" Lucy observed.

"No! Behind you! It's her!" Mrs. Beaver shouted in horror.

All of our heads turned around to see a sleigh with reindeers pulling it coming at us in a fast speed. We knew that it was the Witch since she rides a sleigh.

"RUN!" Peter shouted at us and we ran as fast as we could. I wanted to stop and aim an arrow at the Witch ending this winter once and for all but I had the others to think of and I didn't want to put them in danger.

"Inside" Mr. Beaver called us to a small cave that was under a slope of a hill, "Dive" We all entered the small cave being squished together. I got squished between Peter and Mr. Beaver and we all were breathing fast as we heard the sleigh come to a stop. Footsteps were crunching in the snow and were getting closer until they stopped on top of the cave then some snow fell from the top followed by a large shadow. I held my breath until the figure went away then breathed out in relief.

"Maybe… she's gone" Lucy whispered.

"I suppose I'll go look" Peter said in a hushed tone.

I grabbed his arm in protest, "You aren't going anywhere, if anyone should go it's me, I'm not part of the prophecy and I could take care of myself in a fight"

"No! Both of you are worth nothing to Narnia dead" Beaver told us as he began to leave the cave.

"Neither are you, Beaver" Mrs. Beaver protested.

"Thanks, dear" Mr. Beaver held his wife's paws for the last time before he climbed out the cave. Several moments later, Mr. Beaver popped out from above scaring Lucy and nearly giving a mini heart attack.

"Come on out! I hope you'll been good 'cause there's someone here ta see ya!" Mr. Beaver exclaimed with glee. We all looked at each other before we carefully crawled out of the cave and up the small hill. I saw a red sleigh with bells and brown reindeer, I looked at the man that was standing next to the sleigh with a long white beard and wearing a brown coat. I couldn't believe it, it was Father Christmas!

"Father Christmas!" I exclaimed happily as I ran to him to give him a big hug, "I haven't seen you for over a hundred years"

"It's good to see you too, my Princess" Father Christmas returned the hug.

I pulled away just as Lucy rushed up next to me, "Merry Christmas, sir" Lucy was excited and smiling brightly.

Father Christmas smiled at Lucy, "It certainly is, Lucy. Since you arrived"

I turned and look at Susan who had a face of disbelief.

"Look I put up with a lot since I got here" Susan began saying, "But this…"

"We thought you were the Witch" Peter interrupted her and looked at Father Christmas.

"Yes. Sorry about that. But in my defense I've been driving one of these longer than the Witch" Father Christmas clarified.

"I thought there was no Christmas in Narnia" Susan pointed out.

"No. Not for a long time" Father Christmas replied, "But the hope that you've brought, your Majesties, is finally starting to weaken the Witch's power. Still… I dare say you could do with these" Father Christmas turned back to his sleigh and pulled out a large brown sack before placing it on the snowy floor.

"Presents!" Lucy smiled with joy, and rushed forward.

Father Christmas pulled out a crystal bottle with red liquid inside. He smiled before turning back to Lucy.

"The juice of a fire-flower. One drop can cure any injury" He gave it to her, "And though I hope that you never use it" Father Christmas handed her a dagger with a belt.

Lucy stared at her gifts for a moment, "Thank you, sir. But… I think I could be brave enough"

Father Christmas had a serious look on his face, "I'm sure you could. But battles are ugly affairs" Lucy nodded and stepped back to her previous position.

"Susan" Father Christmas called to her and she stepped forward as he held out a marvelous bow and arrows with red feathers, "Trust in this bow and it will not easily miss"

Susan took the bow and arrows from him, "What happened to battles are ugly affairs?"

Father Christmas chuckled, "And though you don't seem to have a problem making yourself heard" he handed her an ivory horn, "Blow this and wherever you are help will come"

"Thanks" Susan said before she took a step back.

"Princess Maria" Father Christmas called for me.

"I thought that I told you two Christmas' ago to start calling me Maria" I quipped.

"Your father told me once that you have been wanting this since you began your training" Father Christmas handed me a belt with two sais attached to them and the handles were wrapped with red and gold, "I trust that you already know how to use them.

"Do I!" I pulled out the sais from the belt and spun them between my fingers, once I stopped everyone looked at me with a shocked face, "What? Now you are surprised?" I put the sais back into the holder then fastened the belt around my waist.

"Since I know how great of a warrior you are, you deserve this" Father Christmas handed me a beautiful talisman with a gorgeous ruby gem in the center of it surrounded by golden leaves, "Once you wear this talisman and you give the gem a squeeze, you can read the mind of any person that you look at, you could also communicate telepathically with that person"

"This is wonderful" I smiled, "This will definitely come in handy during battle"

I secretly decided to try out the talisman by squeezing the gem as I looked at Peter.

_She has a beautiful smile_ I heard Peter's voice in my head.

"Alright" I laughed nervously as I put the talisman around my neck and took a step back to the spot next to Susan.

"Peter" Father Christmas called forth, and Peter stepped forward, "A time to use these may be near at hand" He handed Peter a sword and a glimmering shield with a red lion emblazed on it. Peter drew his sword from its sheath and the metal of the sword shined with the winter sunlight. I noticed the look on Peter's face that he loved his sword.

"Thank you, sir" He told Father Christmas.

"These are tools, not toys" Father Christmas reminded us sternly, "Bear them well and wisely. Now, I must be off. Winter's almost over, and things do pile up when you've been gone a hundred years" Stuffing the large sack back on the sleigh, he turned and looked at us again, "Long Live Aslan" Father Christmas declared, climbing on his sleigh, "And Merry Christmas" he laughed joyfully before his reindeer leaped forward then his sleigh disappeared into the trees as we said Merry Christmas back to him.

"Told you he was real" Lucy teased Susan.

"He said winter is almost over" Peter remembered slowly, "You know what that means?"

"Winter turns to Spring?" I guessed.

"No more ice"

**_(A/N: Alright! I humbly apologize for making you guys review and I see the error of my ways. To apologize here is the chapter that you have all been waiting for and I promise to keep updating EVERY Tuesday! I hope that you all can forgive me continue reading this story! This is why you are all my favorite readers because you all knocked me to my senses within the matter of hours! Give yourselves a pat on the back! I'll see you all next Tuesday to continue the story! I love you all!)_**


	7. Chapter 7

_**Disclaimer: YA DI YA DI YADDA! YOU SHOULD KNOW THE DRILL BY KNOW! NOW ON TO THE STORY!**_

We ran faster than we could have imagined to get to the river before the ice melted completely. We were all out of breath when we got to a cliff that overlooked the river. The ice was breaking apart in chunks showing the blue water beneath it.

"We need to cross now!" Peter shouted to be heard over the thundering sound of the river.

"Don't beavers make dams?" Lucy asked in a panic.

"I'm not that fast, dear" Mr. Beaver replied.

"Come on! Before the ice is completely thawed!" I exclaimed already halfway down the cliff.

"Wait! We need to think about this for a minute!" Susan stopped us.

"We don't have a minute!" Peter reminded her.

"I was just trying to be realistic" Susan defended herself.

"No, you're just trying to be smart. As usual!" Peter snapped.

At that moment we heard wolves howling from a distance. We all rushed down the rest of the way carefully and we went toward the ice. Peter went forward first taking a step on the ice but then jumped back once the ice began to sink.

"Wait" Mr. Beaver warned, "Maybe I should go first"

"Maybe you should" Peter agreed.

Mr. Beaver carefully walked on the ice and slapped the ice with his tail. We all heard the sound of cracking ice with another step that he took.

"You've been sneaking second helpings haven't you?" Mrs. Beaver scolded to her husband.

"Well you never know which meal is gonna be your last" Mr. Beaver chuckled, "Especially with your cooking"

Peter decided to take a step on the same spot and when it was safe he held out his hand to me. I hesitated before taking it and I held onto Susan's hand next to me. We carefully began crossing the ice and Lucy gave out a yelp as a burst of water came out from the ice and splashed her.

"If mum knew what we were doing…." Susan muttered to herself loud enough for all to hear.

"Mum's not here!" Peter snapped.

I felt a piece of ice hit the top of my head and I looked up to see two wolves running on the top of the waterfall.

"Oh no!" Lucy cried noticing the wolves.

Peter gripped my hand tighter as he shouted, "Run!"

We hurried across the ice only to get cornered by a couple of wolves in front of us and when we turned around to try and escape more wolves blocked our way behind us. I turned back to see Mr. Beaver trying to scare them away but one of the wolves pinned him down with his jaw. I let go of Peter's hand to pull out my bow and arrow then aiming it directly at the wolf holding down Mr. Beaver.

"Peter!" Lucy screamed. Peter drew his sword and pointed it directly at the wolf that was coming towards us.

"Put that down, boy. Someone could get hurt" The wolf, Maugrim, chuckled deceivingly, "And I put down those arrows too, _your Highness_"

"Don't worry about me!" Mr. Beaver yelled at us, "Run him though!"

"Let him go!" I warned, "Or else your friend gets an arrow to the eye!"

"Leave now while you can. And your brother leaves with you" Maugrim said. I knew that this was just a trap because if the Witch's secret police found us then she won't be that far behind.

"Stop you two!" Susan shouted at us, "Maybe we should listen to him!"

"Smart girl" Maugrim chuckled. I was getting agitated and I closed my eyes for a second to channel my father and his words rang in my ear: _Be brave, my daughter. Protect the ones you've grown to love. _

"Don't put your sword down, Peter" I told him, "He's lying! Do not let him deceive you!"

"Listen to Maria, Peter! Don't listen to him!" Mr. Beaver shouted, "Kill him! Kill him now!"

"Oh, come on. This isn't your war. All my Queen wants is for you to take your family and go," Maugrim continued.

"Look! Just because some man in a red coat gives you a sword, it doesn't make you a hero! Just drop it!" Susan screamed.

"If we drop it then we are all dead!" I yelled back still keeping aim at the wolf pinning Mr. Beaver.

"You don't have the guts to kill, _Princess_" Maugrim growled at me.

"Don't test me!" I hissed.

"If you really want to protect us, Peter, let us get Edmund and go home!" Susan cried angrily. Peter's sword started to drop a bit.

"No, Peter! Narnia need you! Gut him while you have a chance!" Mr. Beaver continued shouting.

"What's it gonna be, Son of Adam?" Maugrim taunted, "I won't wait forever and neither will the river"

I heard cracking coming from the waterfall and Lucy cried her brother's name which got all of our attention to see that water was coming out of the cracks from the waterfall. We were all trapped and I quickly strapped my bow behind my back and put the arrow back in the quiver. I looked at Peter as he was trying to figure a way out.

"Hold onto me!" Peter ordered. We all grabbed on tightly to a piece of his fur coat as he stabbed his sword into the ice and we knelt down waiting for the ice to break. Once the ice gave away and the water seeped through I held on to Peter as if my life depended on it which it did. I held my breath as I felt the ice cold water surrounding me sending us under. We resurfaced and we flowed down the river and I was tried to catch my breath from coughing up water. Luckily, the Beaver held on to the ice that we were on and pulled us to shore safely. I climbed out of the ice and onto shore wiping my wet hair from my face, sadly, my ponytail came undone.

"What have you done?!" I heard Susan shout and I wiped my head around to see Peter holding Lucy's coat but with no Lucy.

"Lucy! Lucy!" Susan frantically called for her younger sister. I looked at the river watching ice chunks floating away rapidly with the river. I was about to dive back in the water to find her when I heard, "Has anyone seen my coat?" I turned my head to see Lucy walking up the bank of the river. I took a breath in relief as I went to give Lucy a hug.

"Please don't scare me like that again" I told her.

"I won't" Lucy assured me. Peter gave us a smile as he wrapped her coat around her like a towel.

"Don't worry, dear," Mr. Beaver chuckled, "Your brother and Maria got you well looked after"

"And I don't think that you will be needing those coats anymore" Mrs. Beaver told us softly. We all looked at the forest in front of us. The snow started to melt from the trees and the flowers started to blossom in the trees. We admired the scenery in front of us a bit more before we continued our journey and leaving their coats and my cloak on tree branches. I smiled to myself as the warm sun went through the trees as I thought to myself that this is the Narnia that I want to remember. I snapped out of my daydream when Peter touched my arm.

"I just wanted to thank you for helping me back there with the wolves" Peter told me, "You saved our lives"

"No, Peter _you_ did" I smiled at him, "I had faith that you would"

Peter looked down and I could tell that he was blushing, "Thank you"

"Come on, we are almost at my father's camp, are you nervous?" I asked him.

"Honestly, yes I am"

"There's no need to be, just be the perfect gentleman that you are"

I shocked myself on what I had just said and I think that I shocked Peter as well but I did not give a chance to answer back.

"Well, I'm going to go up ahead with the Beavers to see how far we are" I quickly walked off leaving Peter behind.

"Look!" Lucy shouted pointing up ahead as we saw my father's camp. Red and gold tents were set up everywhere and red flags were flapping with the warm wind. I looked up on a hill to see a centaur blowing a horn signaling that there were visitors going to the camp. Peter walked along beside me and Susan was beside him followed my Lucy.

"It's the Princess!" I heard a couple of fauns murmur as we arrived at the threshold of the camp. As we walked deeper into the camp, more Narnians began to stare as they realized that I was walking with other humans like me. I smiled at their shocked faces when they looked up from the work that they were doing.

"Why are they staring at us?" Susan asked quietly.

"Maybe they think that you look funny" Lucy giggled.

I noticed that Mrs. Beaver was trying to brush her fur with her paws so she was able to make herself look presentable.

"Stop your fussing" Mr. Beaver told her, "You look lovely"

Once we got to the end of the camp, Oreius, my father's right hand man- or centaur- stood there and gave me a small bow for he is also my teacher. Peter unsheathed his sword and pointed it up in the air.

"We have come to see Aslan" He requested.

After a small pause, I was the first one to get on my knees and the Narnians followed my lead, leaving the Pevensies speechless. I closed my eyes as I lowered my head, using the gift that father had giving me a while back, I began to see everything in a third person perspective. Father was walking out from his tent looking majestic as ever. The Pevensies had a little fear in their faces but it calmed down as Peter pointed his sword to the ground and kneeling down with his sisters doing the same thing after. I opened my eyes as my father began speaking.

"Welcome Peter, Son of Adam. Welcome Susan and Lucy, Daughters of Eve" My father greeted, "Welcome to you, Beavers, you have my thanks. And welcome to my daughter, Maria, I'm glad you made it here safely. But where is the 4th?"

"That's why we're here, sir" Peter said as we all got up from the floor, "We need your help"

"We had a little trouble on the way" Susan added.

"Their brother had been captured by the White Witch" I informed which made everyone gasp around us.

"How could this happen?" My father was concerned.

"He… betrayed them, your Majesty" Mr. Beaver answered.

"Then he has betrayed us all!" Oreius growled.

"Peace, Oreius!" Father commanded, "I'm sure there is an explanation"

"It's my fault, really" Peter confessed sounding guilty which broke my heart a bit, "I was too hard on him"

"I wasn't very welcoming either" I admitted and I did the unthinkable as I took Peter's hand and intertwined our fingers together surprising everyone even myself.

"We all were" Susan said after she placed her hand on Peter's shoulder in comfort.

"Sir, he's our brother" Lucy told my father in her little childlike voice.

"I know, dear one" He responded before sighing gravely, "But that only makes the betrayal all the worse" My father looked at Peter, "This may be harder than you think. For now, my people will look after you. Oreius will have some men take care of young Peter, Prima will clean up the Daughters of Eve, and Iris will help my daughter in her own text. Once you are all settled, Maria, will you meet me in my tent?"

"Of course, father" I bowed. My father went back into his tent as centaurs surrounded us and took us to our tents which I had my own. I looked at Peter before I followed Iris to my tent and I gave him a reassuring smile. As I looked away I had a feeling that my father knew something that he wasn't telling me and I was determined to find out for my friend's sake and for my own.

_**(A/N: Okay my fellow readers! I just wanted to inform you that after this Tuesday, I will no longer be updating on Tuesdays but I will be updating either on Fridays or Saturdays due to that I am starting Summer classes and I'm afraid that I will not have time on Tuesdays to update. Hopefully, I didn't scare you guys, but don't worry I will still be updating just on a different day of the week. Anyways, I hope that you all will be patient with me! I hope that you all loved this chapter and I am so happy that my story has over 2,000 views! Just wanted to inform you that the big first kiss scene with Peter and Maria is coming up soon! Will it be the next chapter or the chapter after that? I don't know it is all up you guys! Ta ta for now! And I'll see you either on Friday or Saturday!)**_


	8. Chapter 8

_**Disclaimer: BLAH! BLAH! BLAH! I DON'T OWN NARNIA! BACK TO THE STORY!**_

My tent was very spacious considering that I was the only one that would sleep in here. There was a queen sized bed with red and gold quilts and pillows. On the bed was a beautiful crimson red dress, the ones that medieval princesses wore on a hunt with her court. The blonde centaur, Iris, helped me change into the dress and then sat me on a stool as she began to do my hair. She braided my hair around the crown of my head with small flowers weaved between it, having a couple of curls on the sides of my face and the rest of my curls flowed down passed my shoulders beautifully.

"Thank you, Iris" I smiled at the centaur.

"You're welcome, your Highness" Iris smiled, "Do not forget that Aslan wishes to speak with you"

"I know, I'll stop by the Daughters of Eve's tent before I see my father"

"As you wish, my Princess"

Iris opened the tent for me allowing me to walk through. We bowed to each other before walking our separate ways. I walked to Susan and Lucy's tent just in time as they walked out. Lucy was the first to notice me in a light blue dress and Susan in the dark green one.

"Maria! You look beautiful!" Lucy rushed toward me, "Like a real princess!"

"Don't forget, Lucy, she is a princess" Susan reminded her.

"I prefer not to have any labels" I laughed, "And you both look lovely as well"

"Thank you!" Lucy beamed.

"We were just about to go to the stream by the camp, would you like to join us?" Susan offered.

"I'd love to but I have to talk to father first but I promise that I'll meet with you all after" I responded, "Well I better go"

I smiled to my friends before I left to walk to my father's tent. Once I got there I opened up the curtain revealing my father.

"Sit, my child" My father gestured to a chair that was nearby. Once I sat down my father stared at me with his amber eyes, "I sense a change in you, my daughter"

"A change? A change how?" I questioned. "What could have I possibly change?"

"You've been able to open your heart to someone or should I say to Peter."

"What? No, father, I am not in love with Peter!"

"Your heart says otherwise"

"Who cares about what my heart says, I can't fall in love because everyone that I end up loving leaves! Just like mum, after my dad passed away she didn't stay for me! Both my parents are going and with this war that's about to happen I know that I am going to lose someone and my heart can't take it anymore!"

"I see… so all this time you've been afraid of dying of a broken heart because of what happened to your mother but you are afraid of being abandoned by the ones you love"

"N-No"

"There is no need to fear, my daughter, allow yourself to love. If you close yourself off then you might as well be like the Witch"

"Father!"

"I'm only worried about you, child, let yourself go, feel the love that everyone has for you, especially Peter"

"Father you don't know if Peter has any feelings for me what so ever"

"Actually, I do. I saw the way he looks at you when you aren't looking, and that my dear one is called love"

I didn't respond as I knew that my father was right, as usual. I took a deep breath after a moment of silence, "I promised Susan and Lucy that I'd meet them at the stream, am I allowed to leave?"

Father looked at me with sad eyes, "Yes, you may"

As I sat up I looked at my father, "You're right you know"

My father smiled at me before I walked out of the tent. I thought about what my father was saying and I knew that I didn't want a cold heart. I knew that he loves me and I love him but allowing Peter to love me was going to be difficult. I didn't even realize that I was walking up a hill that overlooked that rest of the camp. What baffled me more was that I saw Peter standing there with his hand on his sword.

"I didn't expect to see you up here" I spoke up.

Peter turned around a little startled but he smiled when he saw me, "Wow, you look beautiful"

I felt myself blush, "Thank you", I walked up the rest of the way to Peter, "I was going to meet up with your sisters by the stream if you want to join me?"

"Actually, I would like to speak to Peter" My father said coming up the hill, "Don't you worry, he'll meet you at the stream later"

"Well then I'll see you later" I told Peter and said goodbye to my father before leaving. I looked back at Peter one last time before I headed over to the stream. Once I got there I saw Lucy and Susan with their feet in the stream.

"Hi Maria!" Lucy greeted me happily coming out of the stream and pulling me to where she and Susan were. My feet didn't get wet but I was still pretty close to the stream.

"I was telling Susan that these dresses are beautiful" Lucy informed me.

"Mum hasn't had a dress like this since before the war" Susan said sadly.

"We should bring one back! A whole trunk full!" Lucy exclaimed with glee.

"If we ever get back…." Susan breathed. I could see the hurt in Lucy's face after Susan said that and I placed a hand on Lucy's shoulder to give her comfort.

Susan saw her sister's reaction and regretted it, "I'm sorry I'm like that," Susan apologized, "We used to have fun together, didn't we?"

"Yes," Lucy agreed, "Before you got boring" Lucy giggled.

"Oh really?" Susan kneelt down scooping up some water in her hands and splashing it at Lucy. Lucy screeched at splashed Susan back. As Susan splashed again but splashing me in the face instead. I wiped the water from my face and looked at both of the girls.

"Okay, this means war" I joked as we got into a splashing war. We stopped within a few moments and we noticed how soaked we were.

"We should get dried up before you see Peter, Maria" Susan mentioned.

"He'll probably think that we tried to drown you" Lucy giggled.

"Peter and I are just friends" I reminded the girls.

"Peter may want to be more than friends" Susan inquired. We laughed as we walked to the line where towels were hanged. Susan grabbed a towel and a loud growl came from behind it. Susan and Lucy screamed and I pushed Lucy behind me while grabbing Susan's arm keeping her close.

"Please don't run. We're tired" Maugrim said in a deceptive tone.

"And we prefer to kill you quickly" His partner came up from behind the tree.

Susan thought quickly by throwing the towel at the wolves and she reached for her horn, blowing it loudly. I unsheathed my sais positioning them at defense.

"Susan! Lucy! Get in that tree now!" I ordered them, "I'll take care of the wolves!"

"Maria, are you insane?!" Susan shouted.

"Go! Now!" I ordered again watching Lucy and Susan climb up a tree getting on the highest branch. I gripped my sais, narrowing my eyes at Maugrim.

"Try and kill me, _Princess_" Maugrim snarled, "You don't have the courage"

"Big talker for a mutt" I hissed, "I will not allow you hurt the ones I love!"

"The ones you love, huh?" Maugrim repeate, "last I heard was that you couldn't even say who you love, did that Son of Adam make you change your mind?"

"Leave him out of this!" I shouted.

"What are you going to do about it?" Maugrim taunted.

"Maria! Behind you!" Lucy yelled. I turned around to see the other wolf lunging at me. I dodged his attack quickly and slashed my sai on his right hind leg. There was a small drop of blood at the tip of my sai and I saw that the wolf had collapsed but got back up.

"You'll pay for that!" Maugrim growled. Maugrim lunged at me but I was quicker. I got to the floor and rolled away. Maugrim thought quickly and raised his claws at about to strike down. I held up my sai in defense waiting for the impact.

"Get away from her!" Peter shouted. I saw him run across the water coming toward me, taking his sword from his holder and pointing it at them. I stayed leaning on the tree behind me that the girls were still perched on.

"Come on we've already been through this" Maugrim scoffed, "We both know you haven't got it in you"

I thought quickly and remembered that I had the talisman around my neck. I squeezed the talisman onto my palm keeping my eyes on Peter. I noticed that one of the wolves was going to sneak an attack from the side.

_Peter, watch out! _I warned him telepathically as the same time as Susan as she screamed.

Peter was sharp and pointed his sword at the other wolf. Before it was about to pounce, I heard a roar followed by my father pinning the wolf down with his massive paw. Orieus and the others drew their weapons but my father stopped them.

"No! Stay your weapons!" My father ordered, "This is Peter's battle"

As Peter and Maugrim were standing off, Peter locked eyes with me. With my hand still holding the talisman I began to calm him down telepathically.

_Just stay calm and breath_, I told him softly, _You could do this!_

"You may think that you're a king," Maugrim yelled gaining Peter's attention, "But you will die… like a dog!"

Maugrim pounced on Peter as he raised his sword with the wolf's body covering his. The girls and I yelled out Peter's name and I ran to the two bodies pushing the deceased Maugrim off of Peter. Once I saw that Peter was alright and shaken, an impulse in me made me wrap my arms around him.

"For a second you had me scared" I admitted. Peter hugged me back tightly burying his face in my hair.

"I scared myself too" Peter said before we pulled apart and he looked at my face. Peter's gaze made me blush and I stepped back allowing Susan and Lucy to hug their brother. The other wolf wiggled himself free from my father's grip.

"After him!" Father ordered Orieus and his men, "He will lead you to Edmund! Bring Maria with you!"

Orieus and I both nodded at each other ready to ride off. I was about to grab onto Orieus forearm to hoist me up when another hand took my free hand. I turned around to see that it was Peter.

"Be careful" Peter told me giving me a worried look.

I smiled at him, "I promise that I'll bring your brother back safely"

"I know you will" Peter my other hand in his holding them to his chest, "I want you to be careful not just for my sister's sake or Aslan's"

"Then for who else's sake?"

"The Narnians and mine"

"Yours?"

"Especially mine"

"Peter, I…"

"Maria…"

"Your Highness we must go now" Orieus interrupted.

I nodded and looked back at Peter, he gave my hands one final squeeze before letting them go. I took a deep breath for making a bold move that I thought that I would never make. I kissed Peter on his cheek before mounting Orieus and we rode off in an instant. I looked back to see Peter just standing there. I held on to the talisman remain eye contact with Peter for a short while before I couldn't see him at all. His words rang into my mind.

_Please come back safe, Maria, you mean the world to me._

**_(A/N: And here it is! The moment you all have been waiting for! Sorry that I had you waiting for so long! I started summer classes and the homework has been very time consuming so Fridays are the only days that I'm able to upload. I hope that you all loved this chapter as much as I did! There is PLENTY more to come! Maria and Peter's relationship is starting to get more serious ;) who knows when their first kiss will be?! It's all up to you guys! I like to thank my readers that have reviewed my story and to my newbie followers! You made me the happiest writer ever! Well I need to head back to my homework so I'll see you all next Friday!)_**


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